yesterday(ish) was Canada Day but it totally didn't feel like it, because I was still in school. Friday is Independence Day but I will probably also be in school... unless I take the morning off and just scrape by the Japanese work ethic by attending the afternoon [possibly pointless] meeting.
on that note, also, yeah. when you look at the work=life attitude over here, no WONDER people are not making babies, are taking up "freeter" part-time existences, or are killing themselves (purposefully, or even not--just working themselves to death). I feel like if I had grown up here, I would be one of the students that sleeps (however sheepishly) during class, having nothing to look forward to but a lifetime of INSANE WORK HOURS.